Whiskey Lullaby
by jameshawking
Summary: Very Depressing song-fic.  Song is Whiskey Lullaby by Brad Paisley.  That should tell you what's happening.


Disclaimer: First attempt at something like this. Lyrics are to the song Whiskey Lullaby by Brad Paisley. I don't own the song or Naruto.

The day was dead. Clouds were strewn over the sky, transforming all light that went through into a dark, deep tone that filled the town. Almost as if it were a symbol of what the people were feeling. Those not privileged enough to be there, on top of the Hokage Tower, were in their homes, crying.

The people on top of the tower, ranking from the Genin to Hokage, emanated a somber mood, their faces depressing as many were freely pouring tears from their eyes. All were wearing black outfitted specifically for their sex, the men wearing black shirts and pants, the women wearing long black dresses that flowed to below their knees.

Sakura's hair was pulled back tightly, wrapped in a dark shroud that covered her normally vibrant hair. Her emerald green eyes were clouded with the tears forming, as well as those already pouring down her cheeks. Her lips were pouted, sore and tender as her voice gave a low wail. The sound of her wail was painful to those who heard it, not only for the emotion so obviously intertwined with it, the pain and depression within it, but that it was hoarse and overused.

Kakashi hadn't even been late for this event. In fact, he had arrived early to the ceremony, already looking darkly saddened. His arm was wrapped around Sakura supportively, keeping her standing despite the fact its owner had no will to do so himself. His usually cool exterior was utterly broken as his soft sobs were barely heard by the Chuunin surrounding him. Some water had even found its way from the protector covering his left eyes, staining his mask as his other eye did the same.

Tsunade was visibly disturbed though she was trying and succeeding in her promise not to cry. Her shaking lips opened as she gave her speech, and several times she had to stop herself to keep some semblance of control over herself. Her chocolate brown eyes were half-closed, proving their owner was worn and tired. They lacked the emotions that were so blatant within them, becoming cold and hardened as an extreme counter measure.

Jiraiya had also given in to the black, bleak mood of depression that had fallen upon those there. His long white hair was wrapped tentatively in his black cloth, running from the end of his braid to his forehead, not letting a passing glimpse of his hair escape the cocoon. Of all the people there, he was the most blank in expressing his sadness or regret.

The remaining 4 of their graduating class, aside from Sakura, had already gone up to the coffin, each one saying something only they would know. They all had left the white rose on top of it, but some had given their own special gift to the dead Jounin. Shikamaru had attempted his best smirk, leaving a small, ornately carved Go set with a note that read 'we'll play again some time'. Ino had smiled weakly, whispering some words and leaving a cosmos along with the flower. Hinata was going to give him a small note that she had placed in a simple box, but once her hand reached out she collapsed. Hiashi and Hinabi had rushed out to her, catching her unconscious body and carrying her away. Chouji had left him a bag of BBQ potato chips, the sight of which made him chuckle and lightening the mood minutely.

It was then Sakura's turn. Her knees were shaking, unwilling to help her stand and her throat had closed, keeping her from breathing. Only the hand on her back and the whisper from her lover in her ear had kept her vertical and the both of them walked forward slowly, each step knocking the breath from Sakura. After an eternity she made her way to the dark Mahogany coffin and she couldn't do anything else. The pink-haired woman was forced to nod at the Copy Ninja beside her, her mouth telling him to do it though she made no sound. So, reluctantly and painfully, as if by dropping it he'd be giving his life away, he let go of their combined present: a bowl of instant ramen.

_She put him out like the burnin' end of a midnight cigarette  
She broke his heart and he spent his whole life tryin' to forget  
We watched him drink his pain away a little at a time  
But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind  
Until the night_

An hour later the ceremony was over, the ninjas spread to go their own ways. However, Sakura was still there, waiting desperately. Her eyes had dried up a few minutes ago, becoming blood-shot and red from sleep-deprivation. She wouldn't move though, not until he showed. Rain had started to pour down from the black sky, but her stubbornness matched that of the deceased. The ability to tell what had made her wet, the rain or the tears, was lost to all as she stayed still. She was a pale, broken statue for the entire time until she saw a flash of black hair.

The relief she felt was short lived, however, for the black was accompanied by grey. Sasuke had company, the likes of which had made her stomach turn. In fact, had she been able to fight she would have pounded the fellow medic-nin. Despite her rage she did no such thing, turning to focus on Sasuke.

"Sasuke…" she muttered, her breath still ragged and cold. His back was turned to her, his hair running down to his shoulders now, just as spiky as ever. His Family Crest had changed its colors, the red being beige and the white changed into purple. Orochimaru's colors; the new colors tainted it, disturbing the memories it symbolized.

"You did this, Sakura. We…We did this to him." He said, his cold voice trembling warily. Had he been turned around the two would have seen the tear that ran down his cheek. Only one, that was all he could allow. Sasuke couldn't lose control, to do so now would be devastating; he was far too powerful to lose control as much as he wanted to now.

"Don't say that, Sasuke-kun. We didn't know this would happen. How could we have known about this?" she said, her voice even more unstable than his. Somehow her eyes had found more tears, ones she freely used as she clamped onto her love from behind. Her head pressed against his back, between his shoulder blades, as she pulled tightly on his waist that was entangled in her arms. She hadn't held him like this in so long, the mere memory of it bringing some light into her world.

"I had no reason to come back here. You shouldn't have let me in. This is both of our faults. Sakura," Sasuke said, turning around in her arms. He looked down at the chaotic mass of her hair, resting his head on it softly. They had held one another like this so many times, but it was the first time since his death. Now it just felt wrong, corrupt and odd, just like everything else in the two lover's worlds.

Their sky would never be blue again. Their fists and heads would never feel quite the same since that day. Even as they clenched one another in their arms, forgetting Kabuto was with them, they knew that depressing fact. After what seemed like an eternity the two of them let go, staring at the ground blankly.

"We…How could we know that he would find us?" Sakura asked, the desperate attempt at placing blame elsewhere evident. She turned her head upward, her bloodshot emerald eyes gazing fearfully into his. They searched, in vain, for his acceptance and support of what she said. However, she just turned downward once again when she saw how cold he was.

She had been the one to find him, alone in his bed. He was lying there, so naturally, so peacefully, that she briefly wondered if he could sleep through the racket she made at his door. Disproving her hope was the immense amount of blood that pooled on his white sheets, staining it a deep crimson. He slept on his side, like he normally did, but in his right hand was a kunai knife; in his left was a note.

_He put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger  
And finally drank away her memory  
Life is short but this time it was bigger  
Than the strength he had to get up off his knees  
We found him with his face down in the pillow  
With a note that said I'll love her till I die  
And when we buried him beneath the willow  
The angels sang a whiskey lullaby_


End file.
